The Word of God. Part Three: Our God Speaks

From the beginning of time, God has spoken. Gen. 1:3 reads, “And God said, “let there be light,” and there was light. He spoke to Moses in the burning bush. God said, “tell my people that ‘I Am’ has sent you. God spoke to the Israelites through Moses on Mt. Sinai, when the Almighty delivered the 10 commandments on stone tablets. As each prophet of Jehovah took his place in history, the prophet would declare, “The word of the Lord is. . . .” or “This is what the Lord God says. . .”

Finally, the Son of God came and walked this earth. At the beginning of his ministry Jesus declared the Scriptures as God’s word. He took that declaration one step further. Jesus stated that Scripture was equated with the power of God. When he went into the wilderness following his baptism, he had one important “tool” with him — the Word of God imprinted in his brain. And he used this tool to defeat Satan and to manage each of the temptations that came to him.

Paul wrote to Timothy: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim 3:16-17). Our Heavenly Father is a personal, invitational God who speaks life into us.

The Word of God is not just the written scriptures, the Law and the Prophets, the Gospels and the Letters. The Word of God is Jesus Himself. This is a mystery worthy of consideration:   In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. . . . and the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1:12;14)

So why is it important to read the Word of God, to take the Word of God in to oneself? Because that very Word is Jesus himself.

In the next few weeks I will share four important reasons for studying, for meditating on, for living in the Word of God. Remember this mnemonic: S-A-F-E: it is SAFE to handle the Word of God.